Agile announces zero-slosh piston tanks for storable propellants
August 7th, 2024 - Agile Space Industries announced at the Small Satellite Conference in Logan Ut, their work on developing zero-slosh tanks for storable propellants.
In recent years, the need for small satellites to execute complex maneuvers in space has grown significantly.
Small spacecraft must now perform complex Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) missions and be launched on rapid timelines. Agile’s new line of storable propellant tanks addresses this with a rapidly manufactured, volumetrically efficient, zero-slosh piston tank product line.
One of the primary challenges faced by spacecraft needing precise maneuvering is the disruptive effects of sloshing propellants, which causes uncontrolled shifts in the spacecraft center of mass. In response Agile Space Industries is developing a zero-slosh propellant tank.
The key innovation of this system lies in its utilization of a rigid piston mechanism to separate the liquid propellant from the ullage gas within the tank. By using a hard piston that slides along the length of the tank, uncontrolled shifts in the propellant's center of mass are eliminated. Agile Space Industries' expertise in dynamic seal technology was key to the development of this zero-slosh propellant management system. Agile have used these dynamics seals in their hypergolic propulsion test stand for over 10 years, validating their reliable long-term performance with storable propellants over thousands of cycles.
In addition to enabling complex RPO missions, Agile’s series of tanks are designed to make more efficient use of small spacecraft volumes and accelerate lead times. “We are getting away from the ulta-low weight, high efficiency spherical tanks to a more practical solution for the needs of today’s spacecraft” said Lars Osborne, Chief Engineer at Agile Space. “In small satellites today, volume is more important than mass, and small sacrifices to mass are worth the gains in volume efficiency and delivery speed”.
The propellant tank has been designed to meet the needs of the smallsat market, with a rapid manufacturing schedule and low cost compared to traditional tanks for storing hypergolic propellants.
With this zero-slosh propellant tank system, improved timelines for performing new RPO missions are achieved, as the system's stability allows for quicker and more precise maneuvers. It also achieves a reduction in propellant consumption by minimizing overcorrection, which enables longer spacecraft life and an increased number of mission targets for remote proximity operations.
Development of a new propellant tank capable of safely storing hazardous materials requires stringent adherence to range safety regulations. Agile is using robust analysis and qualification testing of the pressure vessel to exceed SSCMAN 91-710 range safety requirements. Qualification to meet these safety requirements is underway and Agile has already demonstrated margin on prototype hardware.
Agile Space is currently developing and qualifying its series of tanks for multiple spacecraft sizes, and while they are not currently available to order, it is anticipated they can be purchased starting in late 2024, with standard lead times of less than 6 months.
For more information on tank availability use our contact form and specify your specific interest here: https://agilespaceindustries.com/contact
Written by: Lars Osborne, Chief Engineer at Agile Space Industries.
Attributes to: Jonathon Pickrel, Senior Mechanical Engineer and Eric ‘Rusty’ Ford, Senior Mechanical Engineer.
